Tool-holder.



n l n n i. ...iin l llnllllunlnl PATENTED DEC. 5, 1905.

A. M. PADMORE. TOOL HOLDER. APPLIOATION FILED PBB.25. 1905.

@Mimmo/J VUNITED STATES vARTHUR M. PADMORE, OF LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA.

TOOL-HOLDER.

'Specification of Letters'Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1905.

Application filed February 25, 190.5. Serial No. 247,347.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR M. PADMORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lead, in the county of Lawrence and State of South Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tool-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved construction of tool-holder, and, while adapted for use as a clasp for securing pens and pencils within the pocket of a user, is especially designed for holding small tools employed by mechanics, such as rules and pencils and other similar articles employed for measuring or laying ofl" work and the like.

'Ihe object of the invention is to provide a holder of this character Which may be fitted within the pocket of a pair of overallsA or other garment. and is adapted to securely retain the tools in position to prevent displacement thereof from the pocket, while permitting them to be simultaneously or individ ually removed for use or replaced when occasion requires.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder which may be produced at comparatively small expense and is provided with means for securing the tools or articles therein in the most eflicient manner.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a tool-holder constructed in accordance with my invention, showing a rule and pencil holder therein. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on line 2 2 of Fig. l and showing the holder tted within the pocket of a garment. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, on an enlarged scale, the rule and pencil being omitted in order to better show the construction; and Fig. et is a sectional view of the holder similar to Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale and showing one of the clampingfingers and the cooperating spring. l

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 'l indicates a case or holder comprising-a back Wall 2, a front wall 3, side walls 4, and a base or bottom wall 5, connecting the front and rear Walls at their lower ends. This case or holder may be made of any suitable material and in any desired manner; but I preferably construct it of a single piece of sheet metal stamped into a blank of such form as to permit the parts to be bent into shape. Where such a construction is employed, the body portion of the blank will be bent to form the parallel walls 2 and 3 and curved or rounded connecting portion 5 and the edges of the blank turned at right angles to form the sides 4c, which latter may be secured in any preferred way to the bottom Wall 5 and front wall 3. The curved form of the bottom wall 5 is deemed of advantage, as it will permit the case or holder to be inserted into and withdrawn from the pocket of the garment with facility and without strain on the seams of the pocket. The case or holder is open at its upper end for the insertion and removal of the tools or other articles to be held therein, and, as shown, the upper edge of the front wall 3 terminates below the upper edge of the back wall 2.y Preferably the upper edges of the side walls 4: are rounded and the upper edge of the back Wall 2 provided with a bead or rounded portion 6 to form smooth unobstructed surfaces, the bead or edge 6 further forming a bearing for the articles to be held, as will be hereinafter described.

Extending transversely between and suitably secured to the upper front portions of the side Walls 4 is a transverse rod or bar 7, towhich are secured a series of depending clamping-fingers 8, each of said fingers being formed at its upper end with a bead 9 to embrace said rod and thence depending into the holder with its lower end terminating a short distance above the bottom of the holder, the said finger being preferably curved or offset at or about its intermediate portion, as indicated at 10, in order that its lower free end may project rearwardly and have suflicient freedom of motion to lie fiat against the surface of the article to be clamped. The contiguous upper edges of the fingers are provided with laterally-extending spacing projections ll to engage each other and the side,

walls 4, and thereby hold the fingers properly spaced apart. In order to place each linger under tension to engage and hold the article, a spring l2 is provided for each nger, each spring being riveted or otherwise suitably fastened to the inner face of the front wall 3 and having its free end arranged to bear upon the front surface of the finger at or slightly above the curve or offset 10 to force said finger toward the back Wall 2 Without interfering with the flexibility of the lower free end of the linger.

In the drawings I have shown a device of sufficient Width to accommodate and clamp a IOO IIO

rule and pencil, for which purpose the inven` tion is particularly designed, the rule being clamped against the back wall between two of the fingers, while the third serves to clamp the pencil. In applying these articles they are passed downwardly into the case through the top thereof between the fingers and rear wall 2, the flexibility of the fingers permitting them to adjust themselves to lie fiat against the article and under the pressure of the springs l2 to clamp the articles against said back wall. When the articles are so applied, they are retained firmly in position, and yet, owing to the lesser length of the case or holder, project therefrom so that they may be conveniently removed when required.

As shown in Fig. 2, the case is of such form as to ft snugly within the pocket 12 of a pair of overalls or other garment and to project upwardly or outwardly therefrom, the snug t of the holder preventing its accidental dislocation while the mechanic is at work. When so fitted in the pocket, it will be seen that the tools or other articles held bear against the bead or edge 6 and are held thereby a short distance outwardly from the body of the garment, thus preventing them from engaging and wearing the garment and permitting them to be conveniently grasped and removed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- A device of the character described comprising a casing consisting of front and back walls, a bottom wall and side walls, the casing being o-pen at the top, a rod extending transversely between and connected to the upper front portions 0f the end walls, spaced- ARTHUR M. PADMORE.

Witnesses:

JACOB Homin, Trios. BRADFORD. 

